Leading into Saturday’s $160,000 Listed BRC Mode Plate (1200m) at Doomben, Tony Gollan’s Invader filly had Foreign Press had been a model of consistency, and she displayed that once again on race day, securing her first black type victory in a close finish.
Starting a narrow second favourite behind Michael Freedman’s I Am Invincible filly Sylph who had yet to break her maiden in four previous attempts, Cejay Graham jumped Foreign Press away from barrier 2 where she went forward before stablemate Impervious went past to take the lead.
Securing a great run one back on the rail, Graham had to just wait for a gap, and while the runs started to come from those behind her with 500m to run, Foreign Press bided her time.
Rounding the home turn, Impervious rolled off the rail and gave Foreign Press a rails run to take the lead, while Sylph was starting to extend down the outside.
With the favoured two coming away from the rest of the field, the 3yo fillies battled strongly over the last 50m and once the line was reached, Foreign Press held a narrow winning margin.
Working home into third was the $3m Inglis Easter yearling sale graduate Ernaux (I Am Invincible) who was coming off a last start Canterbury maiden victory.
With less than a length separating the first four across the line, Matthew Hoysted’s two-time winner Champagne Lane (Capitalist) was strong late when finishing fourth.
“It was a really good win on a bit of the track that we probably didn’t really want to be on,” Gollan said.
“When the Sydney filly came at her, it certainly had its chance to beat us and we dug deep.
“There has always been a little bit of a question mark over whether my filly gets a strong 1200m.
“Once she got a bit of cover in the race today and switched off, she could really use that sprint.
“Full credit to Cejay, she has had a great day at the office and she rides this filly really well.”
It was the second win of a Doomben double for Graham who had previously won the Pierra Plate aboard Grafterburners.
“I’m getting lots of practice today in pushes horse’s heads down in tight finishes,” Graham said.
“That was a tight finish, but it’s such a thrill to be given such a great opportunity for a stable like this.
“There are a great bunch of owners in this horse and it’s so rewarding to see this horse’s improvement.
“This filly has really just stepped up to another level today.
“She was probably stiff to get beaten on the Sunshine Coast last start when we were three-wide all the way under a big weight.
“Today, with a good barrier, I was able to sit there and stalk the speed.
“She had to tough it out late, that other horse got a bit of a break on me so it was a really good effort.”
Taking her overall record to four wins and three placed efforts from eight starts with earnings of $372,800, Foreign Press was a $65,000 purchase for Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Figtree Thoroughbreds draft at the MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2.
Interestingly, former Australian Cricket Academy member Damien MacKenzie was fortunate to secure himself a bargain, purchasing a 30% share in the then unraced 2yo filly for just $600 via the Inglis Digital November (Early) Online Sale.
Foreign Press is the first winner, and stakes winner out of the Written Tycoon mare Writer's Block, a half-sister to the stakes placed Demanding Miss.
From the family of Champion NZ 2YO Colt and Group 1 winner Sword of State, Group 1 winner Angst and recent Listed Keith Noud Stakes winner Epic Proportions, Writer’s Block has a 2yo colt from the first, and only local crop of Aclaim (IRE), and after missing to North Pacific last season, foaled a colt by Spirit Of Boom in late October.
The second and third placed fillies added a pedigree update to Yarraman Park’s Lot 617 at the upcoming Magic Millions yearling sale with the colt being a full-brother to Sylph who is herself a half-sister to the Group 1-winning dam of Ernaux.
Foreign Press is one of four stakes performers by Snitzel’s Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Invader, headed by three-time Group 1 winner and earner of over $6m in Sunshine In Paris.
Having stood his initial seven season at Aquis in Queensland, the chestnut stallion was exported to New Zealand in March this year to continue his stud career.
